FORRESTER1.1.1

IT leaders have long struggled to deliver business and technology alignment. But alignment implies a waterfall process: Decide on a business strategy, and then build your technology on that foundation. Today, our businesses move too fast for the traditional IT model; instead, business technology (BT) leaders must partner with their business colleagues to create business and technology strategy simultaneously. That means working with new business partners inside and outside your organization, operationalizing innovation, and, above all, saying, “Yes, and . . .” instead of “Yes, but . . .”.This year, we’ll dedicate IT Forum to building bridges to new business partners, scaling innovative solutions, and co-creating business and technology strategy. We’ll help each of the roles we serve move beyond business and technology alignment by mastering three interrelated disciplines:• Develop your empowered BT organization. • Unleash technology-based innovation. • Drive business and technology process flexibility. Each of these efforts represents both a challenge and an immense opportunity. Addressing them collectively rather than independently will make your BT organization relevant and valuable for years to come.